beng1

Got a set of these in the mail today cheap from a retailer called "Bikesmith". After getting three flats in the last few months with "Bell" brand tires I decided to get something with flat protection. The Panaracer protite model is supposed to have something in it to help prevent flats so we will give them a try. Threw them on the "LeToaster" today;

Road Fan

Congrats! Baby has some grownup shoes!

ThermionicScott 

Looks sharp! Just be careful not to scrape the sidewalls on anything.

alcjphil

I have a set of their predecessor, Pasela Tourguards on my touring bike. Only puncture I have had was a pinch flat jumping up on a curb too fast.

bike_tom

I have the folding version of these in 27 x 1 on my Fuji. I haven't had a puncture in 1500 miles.
(I do ride mostly on dedicated bike paths, so not as much debris as street riding.)

ClydeClydeson

Those are the best tires IMO

beng1

Well I have been riding them around town and not treating them with kid-gloves at all, taking shortcuts where lots of glass and other debris is surely piled up, through parts of town that are largely ignored as far as maintenance and cleaning etc.. So far so good, but since I have ridden many months on Kenda and Cheng-chin tires without getting any flats, they will have a long way to go without flatting before I am impressed with them.

SurferRosa

Tire labels should be centered over the valve stem.

Road Fan

I'm worried that might mess up his flat protection - Lol!

I have a set of those Paselas on my Rudge club-style bike, waiting for the rest of the refurbishment to get finished.

denaffen

Paselas are great tires. About the best I’ve found for 27”. There’s no comparing them to cheap Kenda or Cheng Shins.

SurferRosa

Not only is centering the label standard practice, but orienting the tire helps find any debris in the removed tire once the puncture is found in the tube. So it actually helps prevent flats.

denaffen

Kenda and Cheng Shin are popular because they’re cheap, readily available and people don’t know better. They do not even begin to compare with Pasela ride quality.

if you really want tires you can abuse, you can’t go wrong with Schwalbe Marathons. They’re heavy and I prefer Paselas, but Marathons could be shot out of a cannon into the sun without flatting.

beng1

It takes hundreds or actually thousands of miles to be impressed. I put 2000 miles on a set of Kenda's in 2022 and got one flat, it was the front and I had run a thumb-tack over that hit the tire dead-center. I would have made it home but I screwed up and pulled the tack out. It was not leaking, just making a tapping noise as I went down the street. Then I tried to put the tack back in the hole and made two holes. I don't care how much the tire costs, if I can run around a city over and through all sorts of terrain for nine or ten months and only get one flat they are good in my book. They are Kenda K-35s and they are the ones I used in the TT last July that let me go 19.5mph on the Huffy, so they are fast too.

greatscott

My experience with Kenda k35 was that they sucked. I put them on my grandson's bike, and he got about 15 flats, and the tire wore out after about 1,200 miles. Never tried the Cheng Shin, nor do I want to! So I got him a set of Panaracer wire beaded Pasela Tourguide tires a while back, and no flats, they have about 1,000 miles on them and they still look newish, probably good for another 3,000 miles. The only problem with the Pasela is on wet pavement, they tend to be a bit slick until you get about 500 miles on them, even after that they're are better tires for the rain, just something to be aware of, not sure if the new version ProTite is better in that respect, even if they are a bit slick, the price plus flat protection plus long miles is worth the price.

beng1

Did 84 miles on the ProTites this week over a lot of glass and gravel and debris and no problems.

ThermionicScott 

Like any tire company, Kenda manufacturers a variety of tires at different price points. A lot of the unflattering reviews for Kenda tires come from people comparing a cheap Kenda tire to a much higher-fancier tire from another brand. You generally get what you pay for.

I got a ridiculous number of miles from a pair of Kenda Kwicks a while back, and would definitely buy more tires from the brand if the specs were right.

denaffen

ThermionicScott is right, Kenda does make some good tires, and I shouldn't paint all Kendas with such a wide brush. They're best known, however, for tires that are cheap and readily available at Walmart and the like. Those are not the good ones.

Litho dbh

Tell me about the saddle and post. That looks odd..

Dman1234

Just put them on my sons bike, they
look good … now that the snow is gone it’s time to put some miles on them
enjoy

beng1

They are off a Schwinn World Sport. The seat has been moved as far forward as it can go to give a seating position that a more modern racing bicycle might have. A trick to make older frames work like newer ones. An experiment of mine that works great for me.

beng1

Update, have over 300 miles on these Panaracer pro-tites now with lots of city riding over glass and gravel and who know's what and no flat yet. Rear tire is showing wear as the flash in the very center is gone and the tiny checkering that makes up some of its tread design is getting smooth, and I expect in another 300 miles it may be gone in the center of the rear tire. I will keep an eye on it and think about rotating the tires front to back at some point. Front still looks new. I weigh 200+ pounds so I may be a lot harder on tires than many riders, also it is a coaster-braked bike exclusively and although a very rarely ever get into a situation where I lock up the rear wheel, it does sometimes happen on wet or damp pavement if I have to stop quickly.

So far the tires and bike are doing exactly what I hoped for, letting me ride without a care in the world, although I still always ride with a spare tube, tools and a pump in my messenger bag.....

Outrider1

That's great Ben! Thanks for the update. I may have to order a set.

beng1

I jinxed it. Went out for a ride today and I think going down a desolate sidewalk I picked up a staple-gun staple, both prongs right into the rear tire and it flatted fast. I think this would have flatted just about any tire though, it would be interesting to see how some other high-end tires would have taken the hit. Here are photos of the tires front and back with the staple in the rear, with a bit over 300 miles on them so you can compare the wear front to back. Since I have to take the wheel off I think I am going to rotate them and put some alloy rims on the bike which a friend gave me the other day;